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Artist:     Exit State           

Album:   Black Veins

Personnel:  
Roy Bright - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Phil Ireland - Bass, Backing Vocals
"Texas" Peat Hicks - Drums
Adam Stephenson - Lead Guitars


Track Listing:  
01 - Enough Already
02 - In That Place
03 - Tonight Be Free
04 - Check Out The Crazy
05 - Circles
06 - Ten Years Later
07 - Stay
08 - Black Veins
09 - Wasted
10 - Out In The Rain
11 - All For You
12 - This Life


Stand Out Track:   All For You


Review:  
Following on from their brilliant debut album, Death Of A Rockstar, Exit State have returned with a stunning, catchy, raw, hard rock album in Black Veins. They haven’t made the mistake of over producing the second album, which a lot of bands do when their debut is fairly successful, Black Veins is a perfectly raw, strong album that hooks you from the outset. Twelve tracks full of power, energy, catchy riffs and an almost perfect ballad in the track ‘All For You’.

The album opens with the bass-led ‘Enough Already’. At just under two minutes it’s a punk rock stonker of an opener. The next two songs, ‘In That Place’ and ‘Tonight Be Free’ are more melodic pop rock oriented, but then comes ‘Check Out The Crazy’. The heavy riff and distorted vocals give this track an almost, and I hate to say it, grunge sound...but still hits the spot for heavy rockers and has a chorus that melds into your mind.

‘Circles’ is another rocker, albeit with a weird synth riff. This is followed by ‘Ten Years Later’ which is a bit of a change of direction. Soft Rock that tones down the hard rock style of the album about 5 notches! ‘Stay’ continues in the same vein (pun intended) and then the title track appears and pounds your chest like a ten ton Gorilla. ‘Black Veins’, the track, is a heavy riff laden powerhouse of a song that moves along at such intensity that you never want it to end. A great track that would’ve been the standout track if it wasn’t for ‘All For You’

‘Wasted’ and ‘Out In The Rain’ maintain the fast pace until our standout track ‘All Of You’, starts. This piano led, quiet ballad is beautiful in its simplicity. Guest guitarist, Gizz Butt (The Prodigy) produces a spine tingling solo that Slash must be drooling over. ‘All Of You’ is one of the most atmospheric rock ballads I’ve heard in years.

The start of the final song on the album, ‘This Life’ merges perfectly from ‘All Of You’, then turns into the bands most power pop song on the album. A nice closer to an album I urge you to listen to. You won’t be disappointed. 

Reviewed by: Andy


Gigs: 
2012

March
24 : Burnley, Sanctuary Bar

April
8 : Manchester, Moho Live (guests of Valiant Thorr & Jett Black)
21 : Stoke-on-Trent, The Rigger (support from Fantasist)
28 : Oldham, Whittles (support from Fantasist)

May
9 : Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall (special guests with Michael Schenker)
10 : Manchester, HMV Ritz (special guests with Michael Schenker)
11 : Glasgow, O2 ABC (special guests with Michael Schenker)
12 : London, Shepherds Bush Empire (special guests with Michael Schenker)
18 : Bury, The Towler
25 : Crumlin, The Patriot

June
29 : Newcastle, Trillians (support from Fantasist)

July
21 : Manchester, SOS Festival (headlined by Tygers Of Pan Tang)

August
4/5 : Wakefield, Rock n Wrestle Festival

October
27 : Belgium, Lotenhulle, Helloween Ball (headlined by Wizzard)


WebSite: 
http://www.exitstate.com
http://www.facebook.com/Exitstateband


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